AFC South showdown, Eagles’ closing kick

Around the AFC

Post-Joe. Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury is a potentially conference-rattling development. The Bengals now go forward with Jake Browning as their guy and, at 5-5, are going to have to find a way to mount a strong finish without an MVP-caliber player running the show. That’s a tall task. Seems like a long shot at this point, especially in football’s toughest division. They start that journey as 1.5-point home underdogs against offensively challenged Pittsburgh.

All-Pro for hire. Seemingly out of nowhere this week, Indianapolis waived three-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard. He’s been hurt and his playing time diminished so far this year, but he’s been among the NFL’s very best defensive players for much of the past six years. For his part, he said he was shocked at the parting of ways. Now he’ll look around for another team to play for and already has several suitors.

Highest perch. With the Chiefs losing Monday night, the current best record in the AFC belongs to the Baltimore Ravens. John Harbaugh’s team has a dynamite defense and an MVP candidate at quarterback. They’re sitting pretty despite the tough division. A tough stretch awaits, though, with a cross-country trip to face the Chargers and then a home game against the Rams leading into back-to-back road games at Jacksonville and San Francisco followed by a showdown with Miami. Hello.

Around the NFC

Thanksgiving recap. San Francisco once again looks like one of the NFL’s elite and dominated Seattle on the road Thanksgiving night. Down ballot, Green Bay got a terrific performance from quarterback Jordan Love, took care of business on the road at Detroit and now sits just one game out of the playoff picture at 5-6, behind Minnesota and the Seahawks. Look at the schedules the next few weeks, and you’ll arrive at the same conclusion: The Pack’s not dead just yet. It’s going to be an interesting stretch run in the NFC, both near the top and for the final spots.

Philly Roll. The Eagles waltzed into Arrowhead Stadium, didn’t play all that well and still left with a ninth win in 10 games to open the season. That’ll work. Jalen Hurts continues to play fantastic football and the defense got a lift from recently acquired safety Kevin Bayard. Not that they really were lacking beforehand. Now the road gets even tougher. They host Buffalo this weekend, then San Francisco, then visit Dallas and Seattle. Come through that with four wins and the No. 1 seed is all but locked up, though it’s easier said than done.